Piatt County, Illinois
Piatt County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
Piatt County Courthouse in Monticello | |
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois | |
| Coordinates: 40°01′N 88°35′W / 40.01°N 88.59°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Founded | 1841 |
| Named after | James A. Piatt |
| Seat | Monticello |
| Largest city | Monticello |
| Area | |
• Total | 439 sq mi (1,140 km2) |
| • Land | 439 sq mi (1,140 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.78 km2) 0.06% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 16,673 |
• Estimate (2024) | 16,628 [1] |
| • Density | 38.0/sq mi (14.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 13th, 15th |
| Website | www |
Piatt County is a county in Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 16,673.[2] Its county seat is Monticello.[3]
Piatt County is part of the Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area.
History
The first settler was George Haworth, a Quaker, followed by James Martin, Abraham Hanline, Solomon Carter and William Cordell.
Piatt County was formed in 1841 from Macon and DeWitt counties. Two local residents, James A. Piatt and Jesse Warner, were instrumental in forming the county. It was named after James A. Piatt after winning a coin flip against Jesse Warner.
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Piatt County at the time of its creation in 1841
Abraham Lincoln practiced law in Piatt County as a circuit lawyer. Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas planned their presidential debates in Piatt County in 1858, one of which is ornamented by a marker just south of Monticello.
The first courthouse was built in 1843. It was replaced by the current courthouse in 1904.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 439 square miles (1,140 km2), of which 439 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.06%) is water.[4]
Climate and weather
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Monticello have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.61 inches (41 mm) in January to 3.99 inches (101 mm) in August.[5]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- McLean County - north
- Champaign County - east
- Douglas County - southeast
- Moultrie County - south
- Macon County - southwest
- De Witt County - west
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,606 | — | |
| 1860 | 6,127 | 281.5% | |
| 1870 | 10,953 | 78.8% | |
| 1880 | 15,583 | 42.3% | |
| 1890 | 17,062 | 9.5% | |
| 1900 | 17,706 | 3.8% | |
| 1910 | 16,376 | −7.5% | |
| 1920 | 15,714 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 15,588 | −0.8% | |
| 1940 | 14,659 | −6.0% | |
| 1950 | 13,970 | −4.7% | |
| 1960 | 14,960 | 7.1% | |
| 1970 | 15,509 | 3.7% | |
| 1980 | 16,581 | 6.9% | |
| 1990 | 15,548 | −6.2% | |
| 2000 | 16,365 | 5.3% | |
| 2010 | 16,729 | 2.2% | |
| 2020 | 16,673 | −0.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 16,628 | [6] | −0.3% |
| US Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[2] | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[11] | Pop 1990[12] | Pop 2000[13] | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 16,469 | 15,478 | 16,090 | 16,276 | 15,600 | 99.32% | 99.55% | 98.32% | 97.29% | 93.56% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 13 | 8 | 39 | 56 | 83 | 0.08% | 0.05% | 0.24% | 0.33% | 0.50% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 13 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 23 | 0.08% | 0.10% | 0.07% | 0.17% | 0.14% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 20 | 11 | 20 | 49 | 80 | 0.12% | 0.07% | 0.12% | 0.29% | 0.48% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [16] | x [17] | 2 | 6 | 1 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 2 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 51 | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [18] | x [19] | 91 | 135 | 588 | x | x | 0.56% | 0.81% | 3.53% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 64 | 35 | 101 | 167 | 247 | 0.39% | 0.23% | 0.62% | 1.00% | 1.48% |
| Total | 16,581 | 15,548 | 16,365 | 16,729 | 16,673 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 16,729 people, 6,782 households, and 4,823 families residing in the county.[20] The population density was 38.1 inhabitants per square mile (14.7/km2). There were 7,269 housing units at an average density of 16.6 per square mile (6.4/km2).[4] The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.[20] In terms of ancestry, 26.1% were German, 21.9% were American, 15.2% were English, and 13.4% were Irish.[21]
Of the 6,782 households, 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.9% were non-families, and 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 42.6 years.[20]
The median income for a household in the county was $55,752 and the median income for a family was $65,850. Males had a median income of $50,425 versus $32,304 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,492. About 5.1% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.[22]
Communities
City
- Monticello (seat)
Villages
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated communities
Former places
Townships
Politics
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1892 | 2,138 | 51.08% | 1,896 | 45.29% | 152 | 3.63% |
| 1896 | 2,579 | 56.07% | 1,958 | 42.57% | 63 | 1.37% |
| 1900 | 2,648 | 57.32% | 1,905 | 41.23% | 67 | 1.45% |
| 1904 | 2,515 | 63.24% | 1,334 | 33.54% | 128 | 3.22% |
| 1908 | 2,349 | 57.96% | 1,530 | 37.75% | 174 | 4.29% |
| 1912 | 1,150 | 30.71% | 1,417 | 37.84% | 1,178 | 31.46% |
| 1916 | 4,012 | 55.49% | 3,028 | 41.88% | 190 | 2.63% |
| 1920 | 4,283 | 68.16% | 1,903 | 30.28% | 98 | 1.56% |
| 1924 | 3,799 | 64.31% | 1,733 | 29.34% | 375 | 6.35% |
| 1928 | 4,565 | 69.62% | 1,959 | 29.88% | 33 | 0.50% |
| 1932 | 3,179 | 42.71% | 4,200 | 56.43% | 64 | 0.86% |
| 1936 | 3,931 | 48.77% | 4,084 | 50.66% | 46 | 0.57% |
| 1940 | 4,564 | 55.94% | 3,564 | 43.68% | 31 | 0.38% |
| 1944 | 3,912 | 59.38% | 2,641 | 40.09% | 35 | 0.53% |
| 1948 | 3,646 | 60.13% | 2,361 | 38.93% | 57 | 0.94% |
| 1952 | 4,701 | 67.82% | 2,220 | 32.03% | 11 | 0.16% |
| 1956 | 4,622 | 66.23% | 2,356 | 33.76% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1960 | 4,506 | 60.90% | 2,889 | 39.05% | 4 | 0.05% |
| 1964 | 3,141 | 44.63% | 3,897 | 55.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 3,973 | 56.28% | 2,447 | 34.66% | 639 | 9.05% |
| 1972 | 5,057 | 67.72% | 2,394 | 32.06% | 17 | 0.23% |
| 1976 | 4,442 | 55.39% | 3,509 | 43.75% | 69 | 0.86% |
| 1980 | 4,867 | 62.25% | 2,421 | 30.97% | 530 | 6.78% |
| 1984 | 5,000 | 63.46% | 2,840 | 36.05% | 39 | 0.49% |
| 1988 | 4,137 | 56.85% | 3,099 | 42.59% | 41 | 0.56% |
| 1992 | 3,076 | 36.42% | 3,520 | 41.67% | 1,851 | 21.91% |
| 1996 | 3,265 | 44.05% | 3,274 | 44.17% | 873 | 11.78% |
| 2000 | 4,619 | 55.09% | 3,488 | 41.60% | 278 | 3.32% |
| 2004 | 5,392 | 62.80% | 3,124 | 36.38% | 70 | 0.82% |
| 2008 | 4,991 | 55.34% | 3,859 | 42.79% | 168 | 1.86% |
| 2012 | 5,413 | 61.92% | 3,090 | 35.35% | 239 | 2.73% |
| 2016 | 5,634 | 62.19% | 2,645 | 29.19% | 781 | 8.62% |
| 2020 | 6,248 | 63.43% | 3,329 | 33.79% | 274 | 2.78% |
| 2024 | 6,104 | 63.94% | 3,204 | 33.56% | 238 | 2.49% |
See also
References
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020–2024". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. March 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Monticello IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois- Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 16 (p. 18-28) - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 29-39)" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Piatt County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Piatt County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Piatt County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 11, 2018.